The Marshal and The Mand'alor
by TheUltimateCombo
Summary: The Clone Wars are at an end and the Empire is in charge. Cody and the 212th, under a new general, are tasked with renegotiating terms with the Regent of Mandalore, Bo-Katan Kryze. Neither Cody or Bo-Katan are politicians, they are warriors at heart. So when an old enemy rears his head, Cody must choose between the interests of the Empire, or the welfare of his Mand'alor.


_Orbit above Utapau, 19 BBY_

Cody sat in his quarters aboard the _Vigilance_. He hung his head; it was pulsing in pain. He cursed under his breath, sighing heavily. Despite the comfortable sheets he was afforded, Cody just couldn't sleep. He had every reason to celebrate. They had killed Grievous, defeated the Separatists on Utapau, and the Clone Wars were over. All the deaths, all the brothers lost, it was finally over. But, one death haunted Cody, more than the rest.

"_My designation is CC-2224," the clone had said._

"_Why so formal? Don't you have a name?" his general replied._

"_Apologies, sir. It's Cody, sir."_

"_Ah, Cody. It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I will be your commanding officer."_

_Obi-Wan placed a steadying hand on Cody's shoulder, and smiled warmly at his new commander. Cody simply nodded in response. Obi-Wan patted his shoulder and walked away. Longshot and Solarflare stared in awe. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, they had thought._

_From Christophsis to Lola Sayu, from Umbara to Utapau, Clone Marshal Commander Cody and High Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi had been an unstoppable duo. The armies of the CIS never stood a chance against the Negotiator and his Sky Corps._

_All that changed with a simple holocall._

"_Commander Cody, the time has come," the hooded figure declared. Before Cody could even authenticate the caller, they had instructed, "Execute Order 66."_

_A switch flipped in Cody's mind. Anger formed, an anger at not just his general, but every Jedi. He had to destroy Kenobi. He ordered an AT-TE to fire on the ascending general and his Varactyl._

_Boga's screams echoed throughout the sinkhole. Solarflare ran to his commander._

"_Orders, sir?"_

_Cody met his man with a cold glare._

"_Find the body."_

_Solarflare simply nodded._

"_Yes'sir."_

Cody wept; face buried in his hands. He loved Kenobi like a mentor and friend. Kenobi had allowed him to relax and unwind. He had never been more at peace than with his general fighting the droids at his side.

He had betrayed his commander. But more than that, he had betrayed his friend.

Days later, Cody was introduced to his new commanding officer, a general named Kahdah. Even in their first meeting, Cody despised the man. Kahdah was a cold agent of the Empire. Sharp features and a brow that could cut steel, Kahdah hadn't given Cody more than a cursory nod before walking off.

Tachyon, one of the Airborne troopers, had asked, "This old fart is our new general?"

"Careful, Tachyon," Wooley replied. "With ears that large, he might hear you."

"I'm surprised he can even see," Boil added. "That brow must shade his vision."

"That's enough, all of you. You were raised better."

"Apologies, Commander," Wooley said. "We're just trying to process the change."

Cody frowned, before walking to the bridge. As his footsteps echoed in the sterile halls, he wondered what they'd be task with, now that the war was over. As he stepped in through the sliding doors to the bridge, General Kahdah acknowledged him with a cold,

"TK-2224."

"It's Cody, sir," the clone replied. Kahdah simply pointed to the holomap at a distant planet.

"What world is this, Commander?"

"Mandalore, sir."

"Now, why would I ask you about Mandalore?"

"To test my knowledge, sir?" _And my patience_, Cody thought.

"It is our next mission. The local Regent, Bo-Katan Kryze, is unwilling to comply with the terms of our alliance. We are part of a diplomatic task force assigned to assess the situation."

Cody sneered under his helmet. As a soldier, he cared not for petty politics. As far as he was concerned, if this Regent Kryze wanted to defy the Empire, they might as well just depose her. After what they did on Utapau, nothing was off limits to him.

Kahdah seemed to sense Cody's ill mood.

"I know this isn't your men's area of expertise. But, in times of peace, we must try to find the best solution for all involved."

_He sounds like a Jedi_, Cody thought sarcastically. Then again, he could tell from Kahdah's underlying tone that he was being insincere.

"Why are you just standing there? You are dismissed, TK-2224!"

"It's Cody, sir," Cody turned on his heel and walked back to his quarters.

_Mandalore, 19 BBY_

Bo-Katan hated politics. She was a warrior at heart; it was the reason she joined Death Watch. Her sister was the diplomat. Always the pacifist, Satine would never react when Bo tried to wrestle, hit, or insult her when they were young. Deep down, Bo respected Satine for that. They never saw eye-to-eye, but on some level, they respected each other.

Bo-Katan lazily withdrew her pistol and twirled it in her fingers. If only Satine could see her now.

Bo gripped her weapon tight. That _demagolka_ Maul had murdered Satine. Him and his blasted Shadow Collective. Bo-Katan wished she could shoot Maul from where she sat. That was two people he had taken from her. She closed her eyes to clear her mind. As Regent, she had to remain calm. She breathed out.

"_Scray_," she uttered. One of her aides ran up to her, frantic.

"Madame Kryze! There is a disturbance in the city square!"

"Let me guess," Bo-Katan sighed, closing her eyes, "clones?"

"Yes Madame! They are waltzing about in a drunken stupor! Harassing our women and attacking our men!"

"Well tell the men to grow spines, and some of the women too," Bo replied. Huffing, she tried again, "Send the guards and detain them for the night."

The aide bowed and ran off. Bo-Katan leaned back in her chair, staring out through the windows.

"How did you do it, sis?"

Bo crossed her legs and folded her arms.

"I miss you."

The _Vigilance_ exited hyperspace outside of Mandalore's atmosphere. Cody walked to the hangar bay. The _Crumb Bomber_ rested ever-ready at the front of the Gunship row. Odd Ball and Engle were dusting the LAAT off, giving her a nice new coat of shine. Tachyon stood nearby with his squad of Airborne troopers. Ashe, Ajax, and Burnside all loitered around the gunship, waiting for Cody. Boil, Wooley, and Solarflare waited nearby as well, and the entire team was ready to depart for the surface.

"Where's your robe, sir?" Boil teased.

"Still in the wash," Cody replied cheekily. "Have any of you been to Sundarii?"

Wooley raised his hand.

"Back when I was a shiny. We protected the Coronet, sir."

"Good. Well, it's a lot darker since then."

"It got a tan, sir?" Tachyon asked.

"You could say that," Cody replied.

General Kahdah approached the gunship with two more clones flanking him. Rayne and Styles stopped behind the general as Kahdah briefed the group.

"This is a simple mission, men. The Regent is having trouble adjusting to Imperial occupation. So, we'll open her eyes to the benefits of a stormtrooper garrison. TK-, um," Kahdah pointed to Tachyon.

"Trooper, what's your designation?"

"TK-3664-01. Or alternatively, Tachyon."

The other clones snickered.

"Yes, well, you and your men will fill up the gunships. Cody, was it? I have someone for you to meet. Follow me."

Kahdah walked further down the hangar, Cody following at a distance. As they continued through the hangar bay, Cody noticed some troopers in strange armor. A couple of recruits were talking without their helmets on.

"Those aren't clones," he frowned.

"Oh no. They are freshly trained Stormtroopers. After the defeat of the CIS, young men and women signed up in droves to defend their new Empire."

"All due respect, General," Cody interjected, "this is a _clone_ army."

"Not anymore."

Cody looked ahead and saw a young bearded man dressed in an NCO garment. The grey tunic and rank bar designated him as a captain. His cap rested neatly on his head, and he was just finished donning his black gloves when Kahdah and Cody approached.

"Commander, this is Leland Armithor Preece. He'll be your new captain."

"Pleased to meet you, sir," Preece said, extending his hand. Cody took it tentatively.

"This is a joke, right?"

Kahdah cracked a cold smile.

"Afraid not. Train this man well, I'm sure he can learn a lot from you."

"As long as he doesn't get himself killed," Cody jeered. Leland visibly deflated. Kahdah laughed.

"Let's get back to task. The Regent awaits."

_City of Sundarii_

Cody stood in the troop bay of the _Crumb Bomber_ alongside Solarflare, Wooley, and Boil. They had been through it all together. The best and the worst of the Clone Wars. Now, instead of a hero's reward and retirement, they had to remain in service, serving as the Emperor's henchmen and bullying wayward systems into submission.

On the landing platform, a Mandalorian crewman guided them in, letting the gunships land. General Kahdah got out first, followed by Cody, Preece, Boil, Wooley, and Solarflare. The other clones departed from another gunship, getting out and forming a perimeter on the platform. The team had been greeted by Fenn Rau, leader of the Protectors and a chief advisor to Regent Kryze. Cody shivered as he looked around at the dying city. Once a luscious metropolis, Sundarii was now a bonfire, torn apart by countless battles from both internal and external threats.

Wooley stared out into the city, asking,

"Where is everyone?"

"Home, I hope," Boil replied. His own skin crawled at the phantom nature of their surroundings. It reminded him too much of the emptied village on Ryloth.

Once they entered the throne room of Regent Bo-Katan Kryze, Boil, Wooley, and Solarflare knelt. Preece and Cody followed suit, as Kahdah remained standing. Cody looked up at the general, gritting his teeth.

"Well?" Bo-Katan asked, unamused by this intrusion.

"Madame Regent," Kahdah greeted, "we are here to discuss Mandalore's place in the Empire."

"Is that so? Should I mention that your troops pissed in the fountain of our city square?"

Wooley smothered a chuckle. Kahdah cleared his throat in shock. Cody looked up at Bo-Katan. Her lips curled in amusement.

"They were drunk," she added. Wooley and Boil broke down snickering. Cody looked back at them, his disapproval apparent.

"You may rise," Bo motioned. Cody, Preece and the others stood to attention. Cody was taken aback. She didn't seem like a politician. Her dress seemed ill-fitting, her demeanor too short, her candor too lively. Cody smirked.

"Who are you?" Katan asked, pointing to Kahdah.

"I am General Kahdah. I am here to,"

"Yes, yes. Since your troops have better manners than you, you will kneel for the rest of these proceedings."

Kahdah stammered, to which Cody responded by softly kicking the back of the general's knees. Bo-Katan now turned her attention to Cody.

"You, what's your name?"

"TK-2224," Cody replied. Bo cringed.

"That's a number. I asked for your name."

Cody took a step back in shock. Clearing his throat, he answered, "They call me Cody, madam."

"Remove your helmet, Cody."

Cody complied, revealing his graying hair and distinct scar. His hazel eyes were cast downward, and he tried to avoid her gaze. Bo picked up on this and enjoyed his discomfort. She sensed that he was a humble soldier, not a proud warrior.

"Madame Regent, I," Kahdah began.

"Silence, you. _Cody_ here will represent you well. He's easier to look at, at least," Bo-Katan teased.

Wooley and Boil cupped their mouths to hide their snickers. This time, even Solarflare joined in. Cody cleared his throat again, replying,

"Thank you, Madame Regent."

"Please, why so formal? Call me Bo-Katan. What can I do for you, Cody?"

"Well Madame, ahem, Bo-Katan, we heard that you were unsatisfied with our occupation. We're here to discuss making our partnership easier."

"And discuss it we shall, over dinner, no less."

Bo-Katan clapped her hands, at which her guards stood to attention.

"Alert the cooks and the banquet hall. Prepare a fine Mandalore feast for our guests. I trust you'll be staying a while. We truly have much to discuss."

**A/N: Thank you for reading this first chapter. This story is meant to fit into the Canon-timeline as much as possible, but deviations will probably occur. Of course, some of the clones named here are original, including Solarflare, who will get exposure alongside Wooley and Boil in later chapters. Longshot is a canon clone trooper who died at the Citadel. Wooley was on Ryloth, and Boil needs no introduction. These clones will be flexed retroactively into past events, as flashbacks occur. Anyway, thanks again for reading, and leave a review if possible.**


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